Switch the switch
The demands on your business network are ever changing and your old switch may not be able to cope
Networks are rapidly changing. In the past, a network simply passed data from computers, servers and printers. The data was mostly text based, so ‘throughput’ was never particularly an issue.
Next came the internet, and the amount of data increased as users started to send and receive emails and view websites. Plus the text-based data started to be replaced by much larger multimedia files. Then throughput did start to become an issue, though most of the equipment could still handle the strain and you only needed to upgrade if you required the likes of video conferencing.
The latest demands of Voice over IP (VoIP) and remote working on the network means, however, that you will need to look at replacing some of the building blocks of your network. By replacing your telephone network with VoIP, you gain real advantages such as increased mobility, improved call quality and lower costs. But it’s effectively doubling the throughput demands on your conventional data network. Plus, because it’s voice traffic rather than pure data, there can be no delays. With date traffic, such as documents, the end can arrive before the beginning and the user will be none the wiser. But with voice traffic, it’s essential that everything arrives in the correct order – and on time.
Remote working adds another new set of requirements on your network. In order to provide remote workers with a connection to the business network, and access to the business applications and data, you need to be able to provide secure connections. Adding security requires additional computing power and older network devices simply can’t deal with the new requirements.
For your business to be able to face these latest demands, you need the very latest types of switch. Switches with Quality of Service (QoS) functionality and remote-access Virtual Private Network (VPN) security built-in, with the ability to deal with gigabit data speeds to connect to the newer faster devices, mean that your business will be able to cope with the latest network challenges. As a minimum, a new network switch should ideally include the following:
Ø VoIP QoS – To enable voice communication without any data loss or delays
Ø VPN – To maintain security for remote users
Ø A firewall – To protect against outside intrusion
Ø Wireless – Wireless networking, ideally 802.11n
Ø Gigabit ports – Many newer servers and network storage devices include gigabit connections and should not be limited by the switch
If your next switch includes all of the above features, then you’ll not only have enough capacity to cope with your users’ demands now, but you’ll also have enough capacity to take your business through for the next five years.
This article originally appeared in the October 2007 edition of Expand.